AFSCME: State cutting 450 jobs, closing sites

Thursday

Aug 28, 2008 at 12:01 AMAug 28, 2008 at 2:32 AM

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration is cutting 450 jobs in state government, union officials said today, shuttering two dozen parks and state historic sites -- including Springfield's Dana-Thomas House -- as part of the fallout from deep budget cuts.

Ryan Keith

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration is cutting 450 jobs in state government, union officials said today, shuttering two dozen parks and state historic sites -- including Springfield's Dana-Thomas House -- as part of the fallout from deep budget cuts.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which represents frontline state workers, said the administration has notified the union it is cutting more than 300 positions in the Department of Children and Family Services; nearly 75 in the Department of Human Services, and about another 75 combined in the natural resources and historic preservation agencies.

The cuts will be phased in over the coming months, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1, according to the union.

A union official says they will put abused and neglected children at risk, reduce access to Medicaid and food stamps and further harm state parks and historic sites.

“These cuts are irresponsible and they are deep,” AFSCME executive director Henry Bayer said in a statement.

Bayer said there is time for the cuts to be reversed but only if advocates, the public and lawmakers act soon.

The Dana-Thomas House in Springfield is closing Oct. 1 along with 11 other historic sites around the state, but many of Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln sites are being spared.

The agency is laying off 34 workers as of Oct. 1 and cutting another four positions, IHPA spokesman Dave Blanchette said.

The Dana-Thomas House is among a dozen sites statewide that will close at the beginning of October, and employees there have been notified, Blanchette said. Those sites will be open on a limited basis for special events but will not reopen this budget year, he said.

He said sites picked for closing were based on average attendance and expected attendance during next year’s Lincoln Bicentennial celebration.

To that end, the commission overseeing the celebration approved redirecting $300,000 in funding so sites with a Lincoln connection would be fully functioning next year. That means Lincoln’s New Salem in Petersburg, the Lincoln Tomb and the Old State Capitol in Springfield will reopen seven days a week starting next spring, Blanchette said.

“Without that commitment, you would have seen a much greater impact on especially the Springfield sites,” Blanchette said. “That is the silver lining in the cloud.”

IHPA’s budget was cut by $2.8 million this year as part of cuts made by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to balance an out-of-whack state budget. The agency a few weeks ago closed historic sites two days a week to save some of that money, and these cuts and closures cover the rest of that $2.8 million, Blanchette said.

Ryan Keith can be reached at ryan.keith@sj-r.com.

Historic sites:

Lincoln's New Salem, Petersburg: Will open seven days per week starting in spring 2009 using funds from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The site is currently open five days per week, and received 432,176 visitors in 2007.

Lincoln Tomb, Springfield: Will open seven days per week starting in spring 2009 using funds from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The site is currently open seven days per week but will reduce operations to five days per week starting September 1 due to the layoff of seasonal workers. The Tomb had 339,073 visitors in 2007.

Old State Capitol, Springfield: Will open seven days per week starting in spring 2009 using funds from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The site is currently open five days per week, and had 109,254 visitors in 2007.

Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices, Springfield: Will open seven days per week in spring 2009 using funds from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The site is currently open on Saturdays only and had 37,774 visitors in 2007.

Dana-Thomas House, Springfield: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 41,045 visitors in 2007.

Vachel Lindsay Home, Springfield: Will be open on a limited schedule, with hours to be determined by staff at the Old State Capitol who also manage this site. The site is currently open on Saturdays only, and had 2,472 visitors in 2007.

Cahokia Mounds, Collinsville: The site will remain open five days per week. It had 329,428 visitors in 2007.

Lewis and Clark, Hartford: The site will remain open five days per week, and had 96,188 visitors in 2007.

Ulysses S. Grant Home, Washburne House and Old Market House, Galena: The Grant Home will remain open five days per week using funds from the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. The Washburne House and the Old Market House will remain open on their current schedules using volunteers: Washburne House, open Fridays only; Old Market House, open five days per week. These Galena sites had 113,328 visitors in 2007.

Douglas Tomb, Chicago: The site will remain open five days per week. The sole employee lives on-site and is needed to provide security. The site had 13,456 visitors in 2007.

Pullman, Chicago: The site will not be impacted. It will remain open by appointment only. The sole employee maintains the collections, works with volunteers and provides security.

Black Hawk, Rock Island: The Hauberg Indian Museum will close October 1, but the natural areas and lodge will remain open five days per week. The site had 138,668 visitors in 2007.

Lincoln Log Cabin, near Charleston: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 82,735 visitors in 2007.

David Davis Mansion, Bloomington: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 49,468 visitors in 2007.

Fort de Chartres, Prairie du Rocher: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 38,100 visitors in 2007.

Vandalia Statehouse, Vandalia: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 31,690 visitors in 2007.

Bishop Hill Museum, Colony Church and Bjorklund Hotel: These three buildings will close October 1 but will be open on a limited basis for special events. They are currently open five days per week, and had 19,551 visitors in 2007.

Carl Sandburg, Galesburg: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 8,598 visitors in 2007.

Cahokia Courthouse, Cahokia: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. It is currently open five days per week, and had 8,414 visitors in 2007.

Bryant Cottage, Bement: The site will close October 1 but will open on a limited basis for special events. The site is currently open four days per week, and had 5,176 visitors in 2007.

Jubilee College, near Brimfield: The site will close October 1. It is currently open five days per week, and had 72,780 visitors in 2007.

Apple River Fort, Elizabeth: The site will close October 1. It is currently open five days per week, and had 24,693 visitors in 2007.

Fort Kaskaskia and Pierre Menard Home, Ellis Grove: These two sites, including the campground at Fort Kaskaskia, will close October 1. These sites are currently open five days per week, and had 23,086 visitors in 2007.

Mt. Pulaski Courthouse, Mt. Pulaski, and Postville Courthouse, Lincoln, will remain open four days per week, and Metamora Courthouse, Metamora will remain open five afternoons per week. These sites are operated with volunteers.

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